


A Road Paved in Red

by unreadable0



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Characters may be a little OOC, Drama, M/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Romance, kuroro is a sad man who needs love, kuroro/kurapika/pairo, m/m - Freeform, no one's head is in any jar, pairo's a softie, pairo's alive, which is why I'm posting so quickly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-07 19:10:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12847650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unreadable0/pseuds/unreadable0
Summary: “When I didn’t see you then, I thought...I didn’t dare to hope, but…” the blond trailed off, for once at a loss for words. “And oh, your parents, my mother and my father, why would someone do that?” For a second Pairo glimpsed the child that Kurapika had been, could have been, in the fragility of his voice.“I know, I know. I was so scared, but I escaped, Kurapika. I’m alive,” he said in a rush, pulling back, clasping his hands on his friend’s shoulders.ORWhere Pairo survived the Kurta Clan's massacre, accompanying the gang during the Hunter Exam. Everything is fine, everyone is happy, and nothing hurts until it does. Featuring a more confident Pairo, level-headed Kurapika, interested Spiders, and confusion for everyone else.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter  
> This fic was originally posted onto fanfiction.net, but I guess it's here now! I'm very new to this site, so please excuse the formatting issues! I will post a few chapters at a time, so that this fic will be caught up to the one on the other site. Thanks and I hope that you'll enjoy!

_Prologue..._

Pairo had been in the main library when it happened.

He’d been trying to keep himself occupied; without Kurapika around, there was no one to drag him on any crazy adventures. He still woke at odd hours, half expecting his blonde friend to be there, shaking him awake for another exciting bout of mischief. During mealtimes, he still set out a serving at Kurapika’s place, and it left a small bit of disappointment whenever Pairo would think of something funny and turn to his friend, only to find he wasn’t there.

However, lonely or not, he was still happy for him. He knew that Kurapika had wanted to see the outside world for so long. For years Pairo had listened to him fantasize about escaping their settlement, smiled at his friend’s enthusiasm, and helped him plan how to beat the exams needed to be allowed out. Yes, he was elated that his childhood companion had been able to go, he kept telling himself.

He tried to focus back on the book in front of him. He ran a finger down it’s cover, smoothing down the heavy, navy-hued silk and pretty embroidery on the front. It was one of his favorites; well, one of Kurapika’s, at least. He had read through just about every one of his own most-liked ones in the first few days anyway, so he had resorted to some of his friend’s. He wasn’t much for myths and folklore, but the blonde sure was. This particular one was about a fallen star that had lost its way to heaven. Although throughout the story the fallen star missed its friends and family, he went on with his journey, for he knew that they were watching over him always from their place in the night sky. Skimming through the text, a swell of nostalgia curled around him, a memory of Kurapika animatedly reading it out to him resurfacing.

It had been a sunny afternoon in their ninth year, the forest lush and green, with more than a few flowers nudging out of the rich soil. It had been Pairo’s birthday, and after a quiet party comprised of both Kurapika’s family and his, they taller boy had dragged him out into the woods, his newly acquired ruby earrings glinting merrily in the light (he’d gotten them from his parents as a birthday present a month prior). He’d led them to a patch of trees beside a small pond, jewel-bright dragonflies zipping around overhead. There, his friend had sat them both down on the soft grass, taking a small book out of his tunic, no doubt smuggled out from under the head scribe’s nose. Then the blond began to read, his steady voice sweet and calming. Between the quiet rippling of the water and Kurapika’s smooth voice, he had been lulled into a deep sleep before he knew it.

Pairo ran a hand down his face, yanking himself out of his sentimental stupor. He sighed. He really was bored. Pairo decided to take the book with him to read later. He had to be more careful now, because if he read too much, he would run out of books to read before Kurapika returned. Which he hoped was very soon, of course.

He made his way to the door, only to have it yanked open by one of the scribes named Ulmon, the man wide-eyed and panting. Pairo didn’t know who was more surprised at the other: himself, or Ulmon.  
“Ulmon? What’s going on?” Pairo took in his tattered robes and glowing scarlet eyes. “You’re bleeding!” he stated dumbly.

“Get out of here! Run, dear one!” Ulmon shouted, staggering forward. “It’s those damn Spiders; we’ve been attacked!” Pairo just gaped, stunned.

“Spiders? What do you mean, Spiders?” The scribe shook his head, as if it were too complicated to explain.

The man surged forward, pushing away a bookshelf to reveal a dark hallway lined with ancient tomes. “Get in! Quickly, now.” He lowered his voice in a calmer manner, as if understanding that causing the boy to panic was not wise in the current situation. Pairo remained still, confused as ever. “Come on!” Ulmon shoved him inside.

“Stay quiet, do you hear? No matter what, don’t make a sound, okay? Everything’s going to be fine.” A faint crash and a muffled scream sounded in the background. Ulmon cursed, giving Pairo one last glance before closing off the passageway. “Remember, no matter what, we will be with you, just like in that story you like to read.” The boy opened his mouth as if to say something, but the door slammed shout and locked, throwing him into pure darkness.

Pairo felt like he had been trapped in there for centuries, each minute passing much slower than the next. And the sounds, the sounds. Almost as soon as Ulmon had sealed the room shut, he could hear that something, someone had begun attacking the scribe. The battle was mostly silent in the beginning, with only a few grunts and the whistle of knives through air reaching his ears, but that made the waiting even worse. A quiet part inside him knew it was inevitable, however, as Ulmon was not known as a very competent warrior among the Kurtas, although very skilled by regular standards, which was why he chose the life of a scribe.

Still, Pairo felt something in him reel in surprise when the fight suddenly ended with the scribe’s strangled yell, the heavy fall of a body accompanying the shout. He choked back a scream of indignation at that point, eyes flashing bright, bright red at the death of his fellow clansman. Yet, following Ulmon’s final orders, he kept silent, his whole body shaking with the effort.

A foolish part of him wanted to pretend it was all a dream. Surely, he’d wake any moment now, with his mother calling him out of his room for breakfast before setting him off to his studies. Everything would be fine.

But as minutes turned to hours, he lost hope in such wishful thinking. He could still hear some of his people still struggling outside, although one by one they, too, fell at the hands of their aggressors. Pairo let two quiet tears slip down his face, and no more. He knew it would serve to only tire him further if he got upset. He slid down the stone walls, cupping his elbows as he sat upright, letting exhaustion take over his tired body. He settled into an uneasy sleep, waking every few minutes or so at the slightest sounds.

He remained in the hidden room for three days, having felt around the walls blindly and found a small store of emergency supplies. Finally, it was restlessness, and not the lack of resources, that drove him out of the dark space. Having heard no signs of live beyond the doors for the past two days, or what he felt was two days, he slowly lifted the bolts and chains to unhinge the lock. Bracing himself, he painstakingly pushed the heavy bookcase open, letting a sliver of golden light enter the chamber. Encouraged by this, Pairo continued his actions, eventually creating a big enough gap to fit through. What was waiting on the other side of the door, however, was something that nothing could have prepared him for.

Pairo stifled a sob. Bodies were thoughtlessly strewn on the library floor, the eyes of each carefully extracted. Blood was splattered along the pretty murals, and Ulmon’s cold fingers were still tightly clasping his weapon. A mass of bodies lay in the main hall, mostly the Kurta elders and scribes, all hunched over in a sick pattern of death. Similar scenes greeted him throughout the village, family members dragged out, bloody and tormented, into the streets. One of every two houses burned or pulled apart.

_I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry._

And his parents, his parents. Something shattered in Pairo’s chest, deep and painful, and his already weakened legs gave out, the rest of him following suit as he crumpled to the ground. His mother and father sat propped up facing each other, his mother showing more serious wounds than his father. They had went with their hands still reaching for each other, kept apart by their captors. Pairo wanted to cry, scream, anything. But not a sound left his lips, as if too spent to have anything left for grief. He remembered reading with his mother, his father cleaning up after dinner, just a few days ago. It felt like just yesterday that his parents had tucked him in, his mother pressing a kiss on the side of his head while his father ruffled his hair.

He wasn’t sure how long he lay there, drowning a bit in his memories, but soon an urgent part of his mind prompted him to get up. You can’t stay here.  
He quickly combed through the area, rifling through the village stores and treasury to find provisions. As he expected, all of the money and riches kept from the vaults had been carefully picked through, only a few scant pieces of tarnished silver left behind.

Pairo’s house had been ransacked, too. The cupboards had been overturned, looking more for sport than for an actual search. HIs mother’s favorite china, brought back a few years ago by one of the merchants, he found shattered on the floor, pale blue shards sharply glittering. Of course, all of the Kurta’s jewelry, the pretty things they were so fond of, were taken also; snatched from their still-cooling bodies. His father’s golden armband, dripping with rubies, had been pried off of his arm, as had his mother’s emerald earrings. Pairo felt something akin to disgust pool in his stomach, a feeling so foreign to him; a boy whose worries should have been focused on what books he should read, or what kind of supper he would have. He shouldn’t have had to think about such terrible things; have had to see his parents’ empty eye sockets peering up at him, their expressions still frightened and scared.

The armory had been burned, the remains still smoldering in the afternoon light. Broken spears were laid on the stone floors, still held in the hands of their warrior owners. Arrows were scattered around, tips impaled into the muddy earth. By his luck, Pairo freed a few knives from the wreckage, the metal of their blades burnt an ugly black. They smelled foul, and their tips were blunted, but they were better than being unarmed. He slipped them into his rucksack, a light thing he had plucked from one of his neighbors, a mantra of _sorrysorrysorry_ loud in his head.

The so-called “Spiders” had neglected to destroy the village’s food supply, however. Pairo loaded up as much as he could carry; he had a long journey ahead of him. Trying to steer clear of the perishable items, he instead chose mostly light-weight items swimming in vinegar. He wrinkled his nose. It would have to do. He dug out Sheila’s old books as well, hoping they’d be useful in his first encounters outside of the Lukso Province. Just in case, he snagged a few of the ancient volumes from the secret tunnel, squirreling them away in his tunic along with Kurapika’s beloved book of stories. The thought of his friend brought a pang in his chest, and he shouldered on in hope of a chance to see him again.

With one last glance behind at his broken home, Pairo turned to the road to the outside world, an unspoken promise to return at his lips. First: finding Kurapika.

* * *

 

Finding Kurapika took Pairo three years. Three years of navigating blindly throughout a world that was so new to him. Thirty-six months of falling over himself to avoid unsavory encounters and dodging curious, almost predatory stares. A world that had seemed tantalizing and glamorous, now disillusioned as cruel and unfair. Thieves lurked in every alleyway, making quick work of unsuspecting people. Because of his small stature and childish face, Pairo was a on the receiving end of such exploits for the first few months. Or at least until stories traveled around the alleyways that a twelve-year-old beat the crap out of them.

The longer time he spent out of his village, the more anxious he became about finding his friend. His heart ached for Kurapika. He didn’t want to imagine what horrors he’d faced, such a sharp contrast to his lively hopes of an exciting adventure. Even Pairo, who hadn’t come in with such grand expectations, felt disappointed at the shameless and illegal acts he’d seen. Hell, some man had propositioned him off of the street. With Kurapika’s even more delicate stature and almost girlish features, Pairo shuddered to think about what his friend had gone through.

He knew he had to do something about his limp and poor eyesight, however. It was his staggered walk that had made him seem like an easy target in the first place. It had taken a lot of borrowing (he refused to call it stealing) to secure an appointment with a doctor, along with another bribe to keep him quiet. Pairo hated using such illegal methods to get what he wanted, but he supposed he had no other options. It was either take money from the pockets of those who wouldn’t miss it, or slowly waste away. He decided he would do what he needed to if it meant locating Kurapika.

Pairo eventually ran into to him near the outskirts Severajn city, gathering supplies at an open market. It had been by total accident, with Pairo just dropping by to barter for information with the few pieces of pottery he’s salvaged from his village. Kurapika had mentioned the city before, having found it in one of maps brought by Sheila, enamored by its splendorous trading economy (Pairo had zoned out while Kurapika had explained the details). However, he was less than charmed by Severajn, as most of the place was made up of factories and dingy buildings, definitely unlike the picturesque location by the sea that he and Kurapika had pictured.  
He had seen Kurapika first, and the sight of his friend was like breathing in fresh air after years of imprisonment. Of course, he had known Kurapika was alive, but being able to lay his eyes on him was a different matter entirely.

He had gone back to check on his village a few times in the past few years, and on his first return trip, he was shocked by what he saw. It had been two weeks since he had left, and he had went back to bury the bodies, not having found his blond friend yet. But, instead of the piles of corpses he was bracing himself to see, neat rows of newly-dug graves were in their place. Each done with the traditional Kurta burial rites. He immediately knew that it was Kurapika’s handiwork, and his heart clenched painfully in his chest, sorry that his childhood friend had had to witness such terrible things. Who knew how long it had taken him to bury so many bodies?

Kurapika had grown in the past three years, his round face becoming more angular; his eyes were sadder, having lost their usual sparkle. His tribal wear had been changed, also, having discarded his old robes for a shorter red and blue tabbard. From where he had gotten the clothes from, Pairo wasn’t sure. He himself had outgrown his old tunic, and had had to stitch a new set for himself. Kurapika had grown a few inches taller, too, but not enough to still have the gain on Pairo, which he inwardly noted with almost childish glee. He was stunned, unable to move, as Kurapika turned, catching sight of him. The blonde stepped back in surprise, face pale as if he had seen a ghost, which he probably felt he had.

“Pairo?” Pairo smiled, still looking at his friend in wonder. Oh, how he had missed him. Kurapika dropped his things, running forward to embrace him. Pairo wouldn’t have cared if the world ended right then and there; he was finally with his friend again. He clung to his friend, laughing even as tears rolled down his cheeks.

“When I didn’t see you then, I thought...I didn’t dare to hope, but…” the blond whispered, for once lost for words. “And oh, your parents, my mother and my father, why would someone do that?” For a second Pairo glimpsed the child that Kurapika had been, could have been, in the fragility of his voice.

“I know, I know. I was so scared, but I escaped, Kurapika. I’m alive,” he said in a rush, pulling back, clasping his hands on his friend’s shoulders.

“But how did you get all the way here?”

Pairo, rubbed the back of his head, looking sheepish. “To be honest, I had to...um, ‘borrow’ the funds.” His now shorter friend looked like he was about to laugh. “Hey, it was a better option than accepting those shady offers in the alleyways.” Kurapika sighed.

“Yeah, those were particularly...unsavory. Some thought I was a girl; others just wanted something pretty to play with,” Kurapika confessed, cringing. “Either way, I turned them down. Sometimes I had to revert to more violent means of getting them to leave me alone.”

“That sounds like something you would do,” Pairo teased. Kurapika’s eyes widened, noticing something.

“Pairo! Your eyes! You can see?”

He nodded. “My legs got fixed, too."

“The first thing I did when I got out was try to look for a doctor for you. But when I finally found one, I thought you were dead.” Kurapika punched the other boy’s arm. “At least you were helped in the end.”

“Well, the first thing I did when I left was try to find you. It’s taken so long to locate you, where have you been?” Kurapika looked around quickly, scanning their surroundings before dragging the both of them into an abandoned storefront.

“I’ve been traveling around. After burying all of our dead, I-I became restless,” Kurapika fidgeted. “I’ve been searching for the eyes,” he blurted. “I have a few good leads.”

Pairo shook his head. “I’ve been wanting to look for them too, but all the trails I’ve followed grew cold after the first few weeks. Those Spiders are a bit of a pain.

“Well, that’s probably because you weren’t looking in the right places.”

“What do you mean?”

“First of all, they’re not known just as the ‘Spiders’, that’s their common name, the one that rings most bells,” the blonde stated, as straight-to-the-facts as usual. “They’re officially known as the Gen’ei Ryodan."

“The Phantom Troupe? That seems a bit ominous, don’t you think?”

“I do believe that’s the point,” Kurapika sighed. “Second of all, I don’t think you have the best contacts either.”

Pairo laughed. “What, and you do?”

“Actually, yes.” Kurapika lifted an eyebrow. “I have enough to know a few of the buyer’s names.”

“Then what’s holding you back from getting them?” Kurapika dipped his head, expression serious.

“That would be very illegal and resort in me getting arrested before I even get close enough to see a pair.”

“Okay, then why did you say you had some ‘good leads’?”

Kurapika smiled, and Pairo took a moment to familiarize himself with the expression. “I do, but following them is another feat entirely. However, I have a plan.”

“Oh no. I recognize that face.” Pairo started uneasily. “That’s the expression that you got right before you made me take a dive on that mingol-infested lake.”

His friend laughed. “Relax, it’s not going to be like that, although that was very funny. My plan is that we take the Hunter Exam. With a Pro Hunter license, we can get access to information and supplies that we wouldn’t be able to before. Also, the law becomes much more flexible when Hunters are involved.”

Pairo pondered this for a bit, swirling the idea around in his mind. “Okay, that seems logical. But how do you suppose we’ll train for such a thing? The exam is in three months, if it’s still the same as what Sheila told us.”

“I’m not saying we taking it this year. I’m open to a two year training time frame. That way we’ll be seventeen by the time we take it, which seems like a plausible age to be risking one’s life to be a Hunter.”

“Alright, then. Two years.”


	2. Chapter One: Boats and New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time skip two years, to the start of the Hunter's Exam.

_ Two years later _

_ The storm seems to have worsened,  _ Pairo noted, eyeing the multitude of seasick passengers passed out on the floor. There were a few others that were unaffected besides the Kurapika and himself; a small boy with dark gravity-defying hair, and a gangly doctor who kept muttering about student loans under his breath.

He inwardly smiled as Kurapika shuffled a bit closer into him, turning the pages of his precious book of myths (the blond had been delighted when Pairo revealed that he had saved the volume). Sometimes his companion reminded him of a cat, with his large, expressive eyes, constant indifferent air, and habit of falling asleep in warm places. 

His friend was still a few good inches shorter than him, something that Pairo liked to point out as often as he could, although it still didn’t stop the smaller boy from beating him in  _ every single spar _ . He supposed Kurapika was more of a warrior than him, which was odd, as his parents were both scholars and scribes; favoring books and literature over the adrenaline of the battle field.

Over the the past few years, both he and Kurapika had improved their strength exponentially. He supposed it was the advantage of having a partner to practice with. Every day from sunrise to sunset they would train, Kurapika with his nunchucks and Pairo with his blades (he later traded them off for his own pair of nunchucks; he hated using knives). Their progress was quick, and soon they had to actively look for new skills to master. After running through all the commonly-known techniques, the two began their search for teachers.

Of course, the only teacher that had been willing to take them on free of charge was a slightly mad fellow who raved about the ‘invisible auras’ that surrounded them. He promised to help them harness such aura to improve their endurance, speed, and agility during fights, leading them to a small school he ran in the middle of the woods. Pairo wasn’t sure if he bought the whole ‘invisible life force’ thing, but they did feel quite a difference in their abilities after training with the old master. Judging by the way that Kurapika effortlessly conquered every other student in their drills, literally dancing past his opponents, he, too, noticed the change.

They never really understood how to correctly utilize their ‘aura’ or what it really was before they had to leave the school in pursuit of the Hunter Exam. Pairo was fine with that, really, as he was eager to just get the whole process over with as soon as possible.

The sudden slamming open of a door jerked Pairo out of his reverie, and he quickly straightened up. The sound made Kurapika to look up from his book as the burly captain shouldered his way in, ducking his head under the low entryway. 

“All those who can stand, come with me,” he ordered, his eyes lingering curiously at the pair of Kurtas for a moment. Kurapika, Pairo, the spiky-haired boy, and the medical student all picked their way over the mass of nauseous bodies, following the captain up to the front of the ship.

“First,” the man started, watching the four file into the room, “tell me your names.”

“I’m Gon!” piped the spiky-haired boy, waving his hands enthusiastically. Well, so much for being cautious. Pairo stepped forward, Kurapika mirroring him.

“I’m Pairo.”

“Kurapika.”

“And I’m Leorio,” grumbled the annoyed doctor in the background.

The captain nodded in acknowledgement. “And why do you want to become a hunter?”

The man named Leorio sprang forward comically, pointing a finger accusationally. “Why should we tell you? You’re not the examiner!” Pairo and Kurapika shared a look.  _ Unless he is. _

“Just answer the question, “ the other man responded, speaking around his pipe. Leorio bristled.

“Well, my dad is a Hunter. I left Whale Island because I want to know why my dad wanted to be hunter so much that he left me behind.” Something flickered in the captain’s face.  _ Recognition, perhaps? _

“Oi! Kid! You weren’t supposed to answer him!”

“Why can’t I?” Oh, this child was  _ really _ naive.

“Humph. I guess you’re not much of a team player, are you?” He stabbed a finger into the boy’s forehead. “I don’t. Want. To. Reveal. Why. I’m. Here. Got it?”

“Excuse me, but it’s not your decision whether or not he speaks. Just because  _ he  _ told us his reasons doesn’t suddenly obligate you spew yours, does it, Leorio?” Kurapika chided, donning on his motherly tone. Pairo stifled a snicker from beside him, earning a jab in the ribs.

“”Yeah,  _ excuse you. _ Aren’t you younger than me? Show some respect,” Leorio fired back. Once again the two Kurtas shared a glance, ignoring Leorio. Pairo nodded, allowing his friend to speak.

“I, along with Pairo, are the last survivors of the Kurta Clan. A few years years ago, our families were annihilated by a group of fugitives known as the Phantom Troupe. We wish to become Hunters to bring closure to our people,” Kurapika said evenly, the tumble of emotions brewing under his mask of calm not betrayed. “If you reveal this information to any person outside of this room, I won’t be held to the consequences.” 

To be completely honest, Pairo was impressed. He’d seen his friend threaten other people before, but this instance seemed much more intimidating than the others. Kurapika’s promise hung coldly in the air, making even the captain a bit uncomfortable.

“The Phantom Troupe? They’re Class A criminals. I guess you wish to become a Blacklist Hunter, then.”

Pairo shifted. “I believe you misheard him. We do not wish to take them down; well, not single-handedly. Our top priority of the late is to obtain what was stolen from our clansmen,” Pairo divulged, making sure to keep things vague. “And if the Phantom Troupe somehow somes in the way, then yes, we will do what we can to dispose of them.”

“Hey, are you guys not listening?” Leorio butted in again, much to Pairo’s annoyance. Kurapika replied to him dismissively.

“Are  _ you  _ going to talk? In case you haven’t noticed, the first part of the exam has already started.” The blond tossed a meaningful look at the captain.

The captain let out a whistle, directing his gaze at Leorio. “You still haven’t figured that part out?” Leorio scrambled for an excuse. 

“What?” The doctor managed, arms windmilling.

The captain rolled his eyes. “There are countless numbers of Hunter exam applicants. The examiners don’t have to time or effort to look into each and every one. So, they call in the help of people like us, who trim down the number considerably.” 

“But I thought you were just our transportation!” 

“Do you really think that us going through a storm was a coincidence? All of the other applicants that currently are passed out from seasickness have all been marked as withdrawn.” Gon’s eyes widened. More than ninety-percent of the applicants on the boat were out of the running already. “If they couldn’t handle such feeble weather then they sure weren’t going to be able to handle the Hunter Exam’s later phases.’’

Leorio gaped, still at loss for words.

“You only pass if I say you do. So, do I have to inform my crew that there is one more dropout?”

Leorio spluttered. “Fine, fine. My reason is simple: money. Being a Hunter is one of the highest-paying careers out there! Money runs the world! With enough you can have anything! A fancy car, a large house, the best alcohol —”

“Money certainly can’t buy you class,” Kurapika said under his breath.

“What did you just say, punk?” 

“Nothing,” the blonde replied innocently. Pairo snorted. Leorio looked ready to throw himself at the teen, indignant waves rolling off of his shoulders.

However, the thick tension was pierced by the sudden banging open of the door, one of the crew members stumbling in. 

“Captain! It’s a waterspout!”

“What’s a waterspout?” asked Leorio.

A large groan was heard from the ship’s mast as a large whirl of water came into view, twisting menacingly in the waters.

“Well, there’s your answer to that question,” Pairo stated slowly.

The captain grumbled. “All able hands on deck! Take down the sails immediately!”

Kurapika and Pairo immediately made a beeline for the door, followed closely by Gon. Leorio looked around helplessly.  _ Damn it, these reckless kids will be the death of me. _

“Hey! Wait for me!”

* * *

After they had successfully fished the poor crewman out of the water, (Kurapika and Pairo had finished pulling in the sails) the four of them flopped onto the deck, worn out. They were

“Very well,” a large figure spoke, shadow looming over them, “you all pass.”

Leorio’s confused shriek could be heard from way across the ocean. “Was  _ that  _ a test, too? You guys a  _ crazy _ !”

Pairo shook his head at his antics, only to be pulled aside by the captain. He looked up at him, confusion written plainly on his features. The other man’s expression was serious.

“Kid, you and your friend...did you see the amount of aura you two were emitting earlier? When you pulled those sails, those weighed a good few hundred pounds in resistance a piece.” 

“Aura?”  _ Is he referring to the same thing that our old master was? _

“Crap,” the captain swore, realizing his mistake. “You don’t know about that yet, do you?” He turned to go, scratching his neck, embarrassed. Pairo caught his arm, preventing him from leaving. 

“No, no. I’m aware that both of us possess it. I just can’t see it or properly control it. We left our master before he could fully explain it.” Pairo inwardly crossed his fingers, hoping to get more information about it. “Why? Do you know something about it?”

The captain chuckled. “Now, now, I see what you’re trying to do. If you don’t know  _ everything _ about it, then I’ll just let you figure it out by yourself.” He lumbered off, starting up a conversation with Gon. SIghing, Pairo walker over to Kurapika, who was speaking with Leorio. He came just to hear the last snippets of their conversation.

“—sorry for being rude to you also. I hope we can be friends,” Leorio finished, a light blush dusting his cheeks. 

“Apology accepted.” They shook hands.

“Hey,” Pairo greeted Kurapika, slinging an arm around his shoulders. He nodded at Leorio. “Glad to see you’ve made friends.” Kurapika laughed, a sound that seemed to shock Leorio. Pairo had seen that look before, especially at the training school a couple months ago. Apparently the blond gave off pretty frightening vibes, so when the other students under their old master heard him act so  _ normal _ , it greatly surprised them.

“What? Do I seem  _ that _ antisocial?” he asked in a teasing tone. Pairo shook his head, smiling, just happy for his friend. 

“Of course not,” he replied. “Now let’s go pack up our things; I heard we’ll be disembarking soon.” The two of them, plus Leorio (Gon had already packed his things) climbed below decks to fish out their belongings.

Later, the four of them were all leaving the ship, waving goodbye to the sailors. THe captain had finished conversing with Gon, wishing them luck with a wink aimed at Gon. Leorio walked off towards the town map.

“Well” —he checked his watch— “we still have a few hours before the bus comes that takes us to Zaban City, what should we do until then.” Gon turned around, looking a bit confused.

“Wait, the captain told me that we had to go to that big tree on the hill.”

“Tree?”  _ Oh,  so that’s what the captain was talking to him about. _

“Yeah, he said that was the shortcut.”

Kurapika nodded, coming to a conclusion. “That makes sense. Taking a bus seems too easy for what is rumored to be the hardest test to pass in all the regions.”

“Probably it’s a trap.” Pairo agreed.

“ _ Or,  _ you guys just like looking for trouble. I say we just take the transportation provided for us, you all are just overthinking it.” 

Kurapika shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’m going with Gon.”

And so they went, leaving behind a very annoyed Leorio, who was still muttering about ‘terrible kids undermining his authority’. Gon kept on tossing glances behind him, looking like he was going to go back for the doctor. Kurapika put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. 

“Don’t worry about him. He’ll figure out that you were right pretty soon, “ Kurapika calmly said.  _ Oh at least I hope he does. _

Sure enough, two minutes later, they heard a shout from behind them.

“Wait! Wait for me!” Leorio shouted, sprinting up towards them, arms windmilling in his efforts. Kurapika smiled slightly in amusement. 

“See? I told you so.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter!
> 
> AHA! I have found the correct format! Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> follow me on tumblr @unreadable0


	3. Chapter Three: Stupidity and a Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio's loud exclamations are both a blessing and a curse.

Kurapika inwardly kicked himself.

He wasn’t sure at what point that their little group had entered the abandoned town, but it sure as hell hadn’t been there a few minutes before. He swore that they had been trekking through a green field earlier. That had to be right. Yes. His rational mind took over, trying to simultaneously figure out how their surroundings had suddenly appeared  and track the man that had been following them for the past seventy-eight minutes. Surely that applicant had not been so stupid as to believe that no one had noticed his presence?

He casually gave a furtive glance behind him, disguising his quick scan as a move at readjusting his bag. Kurapika tossed a glance at his companion, who gave him a slight nod before directing his eyes to the person hunched behind the berry bushes in an attempt to conceal himself. Pairo rolled his eyes at him, silent laughter reflecting in his features. Kurapika shrugged. The answer was clear. If he himself didn’t do anything to openly confront  their stalker, then neither would Pairo.  _ Well, okay. Maybe I can use our little “friend” to our advantage. _

Kurapika pushed more focus on the problem at hand. He had an itching suspicion that their current location would play a key role in their next test in the examination. A turning point of sorts. A crossroad between right and wrong; something that would send more applicants to their failure. He kept his outward expression calm, but his brain was rapidly trying to fit together whatever pieces he had to figure out their next logical course of action. His turmoil, however, was interrupted by a slight disruption of his senses. He turned to their left in expectation. Pairo followed suit.

Gon and Leorio noticed a few seconds later, but by then the warehouse doors had already started sliding open, revealing a large cart. 

“W-what’s with this freakshow?” Leorio asked, albeit a bit rudely. None answered him, of course, as they too were still processing the bizarre newcomers. Multiple tall figures were standing behind a long white table, and elderly woman that reminded Kurapika much like a hippo was sat in the middle. Her eyes regarded the group condescendingly, resting her chin in her hands. 

“Exciting…” she hummed

“E-exciting?” Once again, Leorio did all the talking.

“Exciting…” the older woman affirmed.

“What’s exciting?” Gon asked.

Suddenly, the woman’s head snapped up, making the four of them jump back a little bit in surprise. Her eyes widened impossibly. “EXCITING TWO-CHOICE QUIZ!” The entourage behind her cheerfully clapped their cymbals and beat the drums; one even had a little air horn.

Leorio let out a confused noise. “A quiz? NO! Just, like test us on our strengths, or something!” Kurapika jabbed him in the ribs.  _ Damn, he’s way too annoying. _

“You don’t get it. Being a Hunter doesn’t mean always relying on your muscles,” Kurapika chided, pinching the bridge of his nose. “A good Hunter focuses on how to obtain their goal smartly and safely, so to minimize collateral damage. Brains is equally important as brawns.”

The woman sniffed in appreciation. “Good to see at least  _ one _ of your group has some sense.” Her eyes flickered over to Pairo. “Or two.” His friend shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

“Anyway, you lot are heading for the tree on that hill, am I not correct?” They nodded in response. “To reach that tree, you must go through this town. You have to get past  _ me. _ ” She pointed a finger at herself. “I will ask you one question.” She paused, gauging their reactions. When she received nothing but a blank stare in return, she continued, “Give me anything but the correct answer and you fail. Simple as that.”

“Wait a minute! What’s going on here? What kind of quiz is this?” Leorio demanded, waving his arms around, almost smacking Gon in the process.

“You have five seconds to answer, and if you get it correct, then you may pass on the correct route.” 

“I see. so this  _ is  _ part of the examination.”  _ My intuition was correct. _

“Haha,” Leorio declared. “I happen to be a quiz expert.” Kurapika and Pairo lifted an eyebrow in unison. Leorio eyes bugged out after a moment.

“And  _ here _ , ladies and gentlemen, is where the other shoe drops,” Pairo muttered, much to the blond’s amusement.

“Hold on! Only one question? What kind of quiz is t —”

“Your answers are restricted to either the number one, or two. If you answer with anything else, then it will be counted as wrong and you will be disqualified from the exam until next year.”

Leorio tapped his chin thoughtfully, as if his dramatic outburst had never happened. “So all three of us share one question?” The examiner nodded. “Then if one of them answers wrong, then I’m penalized too?” He looked genuinely scared of that possibility.

Kurapika scoffed. “Like that would ever happen.”

Pairo stepped in, defending his friend. “I’m more scared of the opposite happening.”

“Excuse me?”

Gon leapt forward, moving his hands about as if the clear the hostile atmosphere. “Hey, think of it this way: only one of us needs to know the answer!” Gon scratched his head, looking embarrassed. “You see, I’m not very good at quizzes.”  _ Fair point. _

“Hey, you guys over there! Hurry it up, will ya?”  _ Oh great, that stalker oaf. _

“Oi!” Leorio yelled, “When did you get here?”

“This fool has been following us since we left the harbor. He probably thought that none of noticed his very conspicuous running behind bushes every two minutes,” Kurapika said, exasperated.  _ Honestly. _ The man spluttered, looking a bit taken aback at being found out so early.

Everyone gaped at Kurapika.  _ Oh, great, now they probably think I’m some lunatic.  _ “I have enhanced senses because of...um, training that Pairo and I did.” 

Leorio turned to the blond. “Well, then why didn’t you tell us about him before?”

Pairo frowned. “Well, no one else besides us two knew he was there, so what good would it be to cause unnecessary panic?” He lowered his voice. “Plus, we can use him to get a bit of a leg up.” He looked back at the other applicant. “Hey, since we’re taking so long, how about you go first?”

The stranger grinned, his arrogant facade returning. He strutted forward to where a raised podium had been placed. “Well? I’m ready for my quiz.”

The quiz-giver humphed. “Your mother and you lover have both been abducted, which one are you willing to save? Choose one for your mother, and two for your lover.” The man grinned immediately, which Kurapika thought was quite inappropriate for their current situation.

“One,” he guessed confidently.

“Hmm...you may pass.” Leorio’s face morphed into something akin to a walrus trying to swallow a stone.  _ I just hope he doesn’t try to pull anything rash, because that would definitely win us some favor. _

The strange man looked back conspiratorially. “See, you just gotta tell the granny what she wants to hear.” He tossed a wink at Kurapika’s direction. “You only have one mother, but you can always get another lover.” Kurapika snorted.  _ I’d like to see you use that line on someone; that’ll go off  _ really _ well.  _

Pairo leaned into him. “I don't think he went the right way. Isn’t the tree that way?” He pointed to the left, opposite of where the man had gone. Kurapika snickered. 

“Let’s see how long it takes for him to figure that out.”

“Ahem,” the older woman prompted, bringing everyone’s attention back to the matter at hand. “Your son and daughter have been taken away. Choose one for your son, or choose two for your daughter. You can only rescue one.”

“That’s sham! We can’t just say whatever to please that hag!” Leorio shouted, throwing a fit. “Son or daughter? We can’t just pick one! To hell if there’s actually a right answer to such crap!” 

Kurapika’s mind whirred, picking up Leorio’s words.  _ That’s it!  _ He turned to Leorio, opening his mouth to tell him. The old woman’s eyes narrowed. 

“Not another word, or you all will be disqualified.” Kurapika then turned to Pairo, who dipped his head to show that he, too, had cracked the determined the correct answer. “Five… four…”  _ Keep it together, Leorio! Just a few more seconds. _ Leorio picked up a long wooden plank, swinging it around testily. Something inside Kurapika died right at that moment.  _ There goes our chances. _ “Three… two…” Kurapika glanced at Gon.  _ At least he’s figured it out. _ “One! Time’s up!” 

Leorio lunged, holding his weapon high above his head.  _ Damn it.  _ Kurapika moved quickly, once again thankful for his training, and blocked the taller man’s attack with his Tonta blades. 

“Don’t try to stop me, Kurapika! I need to teach this wrinkly hag a lesson!” Leorio spat, trying to push the Kurta out of the way.

Kurapika stood his ground. “Think for a moment, Leorio! Don’t waste our correct answer!” Leorio froze.

“What?”

“You were completely right,” Kurapika said, shaking his head. “There was no correct answer. The only acceptable one was silence.”

“B-but what about that other guy?”

“She only told him that he may pass, she never mentioned that his answer was correct.” He turned to face the older woman, who was watching with merriment. “I’m guessing that the path he took was wrong?” The examiner smirked.

“Precisely.” Leorio’s face gradually lost its beet-red hue, the man calming down.

“Sorry, granny, I was being foolish,” he said politely.

She chuckled. “Hmm… don’t be. I enjoy doing this just to meet the precocious ones like you.” Leorio looked down sheepishly.

The correct path is this way.” She pointed at a pair of opening doors, revealing a long, dark tunnel. Walk two hours and you will see a cabin. A couple serving as the Navigators lives there.” She gave them all a pointed look. “Meet their standards, and they will lead you to the Hunter Exam site.” A frustrated sigh was heard from behind them.

Gon flopped to the ground, steam coming out of his ears. “Ugh. It’s no use. I can’t think of a correct answer. Leorio laughed at him.

“You were still looking for a correct answer? You know you can stop now.”

Gon looked surprised, and Kurapika and Pairo shared an amused glance. “Wait, why?”

Now it was Leorio’s turn to look confused. “Gon, the quiz is over.”

Gon pouted, which the motherly part of Kurapika, a part of him that he adamantly denied existed, thought was adorable. “I know that already. It’s just, what if I’m stuck in an actual situation like that? What would I do? I feel that one day, I might have to make that choice.”

Kurapika’s eyes turned solemn.  _ That’s right. I think that was the sole purpose of this quiz. When you become a Hunter, you must be ready to make hard decisions, but it is your duty to do what is in the best interest of the public.  _

“What are you thinking about?” Pairo asked. “I know that face. That’s the I-contemplating-the-meaning-of-life-face.” Kurapika smiled.

“Nothing you have to worry about.”  _ That’s my weakness. If it came down to it, I’d want to protect you at all costs, Pairo. No matter the consequence.  _ “Come on, let’s go.” And so their rag-tag group began the next step in their journey to the Hunter Exam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter
> 
> Okay, so I haven't been editing as I've been posting... so this fic looks exactly the same as when I first starting writing it a few months ago. Sorry about that!
> 
> Thank you for reading and please leave a review! 
> 
> follow me on tumblr @unreadable0


	4. Chapter Three: Cultures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika and Pairo meet the Kiriko.

Kurapika smelled the blood before he saw it. A few meters away from the door, it crashed into him like a wave. He stopped abruptly, causing Leorio to crash into him.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, disgruntled. The doctor was immediately restrained with a hand over his mouth. The blond made a shushing noise, shaking his head in the direction of the house. He signalled the others to pause. Kurapika tensed, drawing his weapon. The quiet rustling of fabric told him that Pairo had unsheathed his, too. 

Their party advanced towards the cottage slowly, taking precautions. One could never be too careful after seeing a ‘beware of monsters’ sign on their way in. After a few minutes of creeping, Kurapika gave a slight nod. With a concise bang, Pairo kicked open the door, revealing an ominous scene.

Kurapika had been expecting something a bit more courteous. Maybe a nice greeting, or a polite invitation in. Of course, they’d ask a few questions, maybe give them a few hard riddles to solve. He’d hoped for a peaceful test, without any bloodshed or traumatic events that sent Leorio running for a wooden plank to whack at some poor examiner’s head. Of course, as per the depressing usual, he didn’t get a warm welcome.

In the back of the foyer, a man was laying on the floor, groaning from the serious injuries bleeding out. The house had been trashed, walls smeared with cakey substances, floors smashed up, and furniture broken and scattered around. To top it off, immediately as the door was open, a creature, a Kiriko, as Kurapika’s mind quickly informed him, ran off with a woman, supposedly the wounded man’s wife. The abductor and the abductee hurtled through the large picture window, shattering what was probably very expensive glass.  _ Ugh...I just wanted  _ one _ moment of peace. _ A headache was forming behind Kurapika’s eyes, which is probably why he lost all reason and blurted out without thinking properly.

“Are you kidding me?” Kurapika clapped a hand over his mouth, blushing slightly at the words that had slipped out.  _ Well, great. I’m becoming Leorio.  _ Pairo just chuckled, making his way into the room. 

Leorio tentatively approached the broken man, checking his pulse and assessing his injuries. The man gripped his hand, struggling to form words. 

“M-my wife? Please...help my wife.” Leorio held him steady, whispering assurances to his patient while taking out bandages and disinfectant from his briefcase. Kurapika gave him a hand motion, mouthing at the doctor to stay there.  Leorio gave him the thumbs up, looking happy to be of use for once.

Not having to look behind him to know that Pairo and Gon were following, they blurred through the forest, Gon keeping up in the trees for better visual. Kurapika was impressed at Gon’s impeccable night vision. It was only through his enhanced senses and training that Kurta pair were able to trace such a faint shadow in almost complete darkness. The blond glanced up as the younger boy gave a shout, falling from his high position. Pairo easily caught him, placing Gon quickly on the ground as the chase continued, before slinking back into the shadows.

“Wow! He can actually speak!” Gon’s eyes were sparkling with awe.

“Yes, the Kiriko are perfectly capable of human speech.” Kurapika had read that in a book once, but he didn’t remember precisely which one. Gon nodded.

“Hm. Well then, I have a plan!” The boy darted back up into the canopy. A few seconds later, Kurapika heard a screech and the sharp snap of branches from above.

“Incoming, Kurapika!” The blond leapt up gracefully, snatching the falling woman from the air in a somehow artful manner. He sighed. “Gon, you’re way too reckless.” _Heavens forbid that I hadn’t caught her in time._ Kurpika heard Pairo sneak forward; it had been agreed that he’d hang back as backup if needed. He gave him an almost imperceivable signal, directing him to stay put. Something didn’t feel right. He directed his attention to the person he’d just rescued.

“Are you hurt?” He asked, scanning her for injuries. Strange vibes or not, her safety was top priority at the moment.The woman shook her head, looking shaken.

“I’m okay.” She paused, as if remembering something. “But what about my husband? Tell me, is he okay?” 

“Don’t worry,” Kurapika assured her. “We have someone who is treating him as we speak.”

“Please, I need to see him!” She grabbed ahold of Kurapika’s tunic. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the tattoos snaking up her wrists. The old symbols were easy to recognize, and the piece of him that had insisted that something was off preened at the prospect of being correct.

“Your tattoos,” he breathed. The woman withdrew her hand as if burned, shielding it from view as her eyes narrowed dangerously. He was about to accuse her, but a suddenly he head crashing footsteps behind him. 

“Kurapika! Thank goodness I found you!”  Leorio shouted. 

“Leorio?” Kurapika felt anger curl deep into his stomach. How could that insufferable man have left his weak patient unattended when violent creatures were at large? Something inside him twitched. From all of his prior interactions with the doctor, he had noted arrogance and brashness, yes, but also deep loyalty. Leorio took his oath seriously. Kurapika’s eyes hardened. Unless…

“So how is that man?” the blond asked, tone a touch wary. He heard Pairo inch closer, ready to lash out. The doctor stepped closer, unaware of the extra set of unseen eyes watching him. 

“He’s fine, no worries. The wound wasn’t as bad as it looked,” he replied, shrugging in a very Leorio-like fashion. “He’s safe asleep in the cabin.”  _ I see. _ Kurapika’s hands tightened on his blades. Quickly, he swung one in a neat arc, hitting the other man square in the face. The doctor laughed, a wheezing noise. Like fabric, Leorio’s appearance was dropped in one fluid motion, transforming into that of a Kiriko. 

“How did you know it was me?”

Kurapika let an exasperated noise from the back of his throat. “I had my suspicions,” he explained plainly in a calm voice. “Pairo?” Much to the surprise of the beast, the other Kurta sprung from his hiding place, successfully incapacitating them with a swift wrap against the temples with his weapon.

“Now,” Kurapika said chillingly, “answer my question. Who are you?” He pressed one of his Tonta swords against her neck. A look of amusement flickered past the woman’s features, immediately followed by one of sharp interest.

“Hmm...you caught on quick, didn’t you?” She seemed in no rush to shed light on what had just transpired. “The others simply decided that I was some weepy and evasive damsel. They didn’t see it coming.” The woman pushed away the blade, sitting up. “So how did you figure me out?”

Kurapika huffed in impatience. “Those markings on your wrist. You claim that the man back at the house is your husband, but you tattoos say differently. In this particular region, those symbols are only placed on women who must remain spouseless for their whole life.” At his words, her smile widened. 

“Excellent work. However, such traditions are kept very quiet, and rarely are known by outsiders.” She cast the both of them a curious look. “I’m very impressed, but how is it that you are aware of this?” Kurapika’s brain shut down a little bit, making sure choose his words carefully. 

“Pairo and I were raised in a certain atmosphere that enabled us to explore many ancient and secret cultures and rites.” 

“I see,” she said, skimming over the fact that they hadn’t answered her question; there was a dangerous edge to his voice that she didn’t particularly like. “Well, since you have given me your explanation, I will give you mine.” 

“It’s only fair,” Pairo muttered, still vigilant over the unconscious Kiriko.

“I am a Kiriko as well.” Kurapika and Pairo stiffened, causing the woman to wave her hand at them in dismissal. “Relax, you’ve passed my test already.” The blond sniffed.  _ I guess it follows the trend that  _ this _ was also another pre-exam trial. _

“My alleged husband is actually my brother. The one you took down was my mother. The rest will be explained later on, I suppose.” She stood up, causing the two Kurtas to immediately reach for their Tonta swords. The woman raised an eyebrow. “Now, how about we walk back to the cabin?” she proposed, already walking away.

With no other choice, Kurapika and Pairo followed, hands still ready on their weapons.

* * *

In the middle of their return journey, the Kiriko woman paused, turning back with a peculiar look. “By the way, when I mentioned my real identity, I noticed a spike in your aura”  — _ again with the auras _ — “were you aware of that?”

Both boys shook their heads.

She smiled a bit, as if she knew a secret that she would never reveal. “Well, that makes this all the more interesting.” Kurapika shared what appeared to be a blank look with Pairo, but his companion picked up on the slight wrinkle between the blond’s brows, along with the slight frown tugging at his lips, showing his confusion. 

Needless to say, the rest of their trip passed in heavy silence.

* * *

Kurapika, Pairo, and Leorio were waiting for Gon, who was the only one of their group that hadn’t returned. Leorio kicked at a broken couch leg, still miffed at being so effortlessly duped. Apparently everything on his end had been peaceful, with him calming his patient without a fuss and dressing his (fake) wounds, that is until Kurapika and Pairo had arrived. As soon as they entered the doorway, the ‘injured’ man sat up and laughed, scaring the wits out of Leorio. Of course, they had to reveal the Kiriko’s trick to them.

After about ten minutes had passed, they were summoned to outside, were Gon and the other beast were standing. Once again, the Kiriko family revealed who they were, informing the four of them that they were the Navigators, hired by the Hunter's Association to aid the applicants. If they passed their tests, at least. They then gave their reasons for each of their passing.

“Kurapika,” the woman started, “you were very clever in using the most obscure of hints to discover that I, in fact, am not married. You also lured my mother into a trap, a feat that is extremely difficult to do. Because of these reasons, you have passed.” Kurapika let out a relieved sigh.

“Pairo. I praise your amazing skills of concealment, as neither my mother nor I even suspected your presence before you attacked and incapacitated her. For that, you also pass.” Pairo nodded, hugging his friend enthusiastically.

Leorio was commended also, for his excellent skills as a doctor, a even though he never uncovered his patient’s real identity, much to his embarrassment.

Gon was recognized for his exceptional skill at telling the Kirikos apart, something that hadn’t been done in the past few decades. 

After congratulating them on their accomplishments, the Navigators agreed to provide their transportation to Zabin CIty. Much to Kurapika’s astonishment, the Kirikos simply took them up in their talons and swept them off into the air. Each creature carried one passenger, and Kurapika pitied the one holding Leorio aloft, as he seemed to be having trouble holding up his weight.

Kurapika and Pairo looked at each other in awe, eyes sweeping over the large expanse of enchanting woods zipping past below them, they’d ridden on an airship, of course, but experiencing it in real person was another thing entirely. The cool winds whistled past Kurapika’s ears, skimming across his cheeks, and tumbled into his hair, energizing him.

_ Now,  _ Kurapika thought,  _ time for the Hunter Exam! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter
> 
> I'm still in the process of uploading all 31 chapters on this site, so please be patient with me! Thank you all for reading and I hope you have a great day!
> 
> follow me on tumblr @unreadable0


	5. Chapter Four: Phase One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phase of the examination with a dash of scheming Tonpa.

Kurapika weaved through the marketplace, trying to keep track of their Navigator as well as make sure that Gon didn’t run into any trouble. In the past hour alone, the blond Kurta had eyed multiple suspicious figures, keeping his hands casually poised near his twin blades.  _ Just in case,  _ he thought to himself. Most of the thieves and pickpockets were warded off by his death glares, but a few were brave (stupid) enough to move into their group’s personal space. Kurapika made sure that such people  were quietly dispatched.  

He assumed it was simply in his nature to protect Gon, whose  naiveté constantly made him a target. Kurapika had always fussed over the younger ones in his village, also; always remaining careful watchfulness over them when he could. 

Another man started to edge forward, a poorly concealed knife clutched in his hand. Kurapika turned expectantly to Pairo, raising an eyebrow. His companion sighed in response, kicking the intruder with a slight flex of his leg. The thief slumped backwards with a muffled sound, propped up peacefully at the edge of a stall. 

“This place is pretty sketchy, if I say so myself,” Leorio remarked, hanging back a little to match pace with Kurapika. The blond shrugged.

“Prosperous cities like this one do tend to attract all sorts of unsavory people.”

“I think you knocked most of those ‘unsavory people’ out already,” Pairo muttered to himself. Kurapika ignored his statement in favor of looking for Gon, who had disappeared once again. He finally caught sight of the boy eyeing what looked like a roasted frog on a skewer. Kurapika exhaled in exasperation. 

“What are doing, Gon? Quit dallying, we’re going!” Leorio hollered. Gon stopped, having been enthusiastically bouncing from shop to shop, admiring items ranging from sparkling jewels to mystical plants claiming to erase headaches. The boy practically skipped back, his eyes shining with excitement. 

Soon the navigator had lead them into a pristine square, expensive buildings lining the sides. 

“I believe,” he started, pointing a finger in vaguely in one direction, “ _ that _ is the building.”

Gon gasped, face lighting up. “Wow! It’s so grand!” Indeed, the sleek skyscraper glittered in the midday sun, its top floors skimming the clouds. Kurapika agreed that the building was an architectural feat, but seemed a bit too obvious to be the site of the secretive Hunter Exam.

“So this,” Leorio observed breathlessly, “is where all the Hunter applicants from across the world travel to.” The Kiriko navigator scratched his head.

“Er, no. I mean _ ” _ —he gestured, clearly this time—“the exam is  _ here _ .” He walked up to a rather homely restaurant squished between two important buildings, ivy crawling up its sides so that it resembled a thick green sweater.

“Haha, that’s a funny joke,” Leorio stated nervously, his sentence trailing off as the Kiriko’s face remained serious. “Nope, okay, you’re not kidding. Okay.”

“Well, it makes sense,” Pairo ventured. “Why would the Hunter’s Association hold their very elusive exam in such a flashy building?” The others nodded, following their navigator inside. 

Soon, after the guide had given the special password to the shopkeeper, they were seated in a small back room, furnished only with a cheap table, a couple chairs, and a sickly plant. Gon kicked his feet in his chair.

“I can’t wait for the food,” he said, looking pleased. Kurapika laughed, shaking his head.

“Gon, that was just the password we used to get in.” The younger boy looke da bit put out at that. The blond looked at their guide expectantly. 

The Kiriko smiled at them reassuringly.

“You guys have done abnormally well for first-timers,” he regarded them with a bit of sadness on his face. “Well, I wish you the best of luck.” He dipped his head at them. “I would be grateful to continue as your Navigator in the future, as well.” Then, with those parting words, he left, shutting the door softly behind them.

The room began to tremble, a small slot above the door glowing to show the current floor, the numbers going down further and further. 

“It seems that this room is an elevator,” Kurapika remarked.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. That jerk...he was convinced that we wouldn’t pass this year.”

Kurapika gave him a look before replying, “Once every three years.”

“What do you mean?” Leorio gave him the side-eye.

“That’s the average frequency that a rookie passes the Hunter Exam,” Pairo finished, fiddling with one of the tea sets. The both of them had spent days reviewing the statistics and history of every recorded Hunter Exam during their training period, trying to get a gage on how difficult the tests would be.

Kurapika steepled his fingers. “Most rookies can’t withstand the emotional and physical taxation, or the mental abuse that many veterans dole out.” He caught sight of their frightened faces. “It’s not completely unusual for some of the returning applicants to try to break the newbies; they want to trim down their competition. Just be very aware of who you talk to and trust around there, and you’ll be fine.”

Gon looked sad. “I guess some people are willing to throw away their morals just to secure a Hunter license.” Leorio nodded vigorously.

“Oh, but of course! Hunters make the most money in the world!” Leorio practically yelled, his hands waving around maniacally. Kurapika groaned, and Pairo starting hitting his head on the table in frustration. Only Gon looked the slightest bit unfazed, clapping his hands in support of their doctor friend. 

The rest of the elevator ride passed with nothing but Leorio’s financial rants, and boy, was Kurapika ever so excited to see the doors open.

* * *

They seemed to have walked into some sort of an underground complex of tunnels. To Kurapika’s surprise, many applicants already flooded the large room, chattering about in large groups. There were plenty of intimidating figures, also. Many towered over his slight height, tall builds towering impressively, but Kurapika felt somehow unimpressed. Something about them felt forced, as if their physical appearance covered up a weak intent. There were a few that made him uneasy, however.

One man had both malicious intent  _ and _ terrifying physique to match. Rubbery purple skin was stretched thin around sharp features, held in place by handfuls of wicked-looking pins. His gait, while a bit clumsy, like a newborn testing out its body, was at the same time measured and scarily quiet. Kurapika decided to keep an eye out for him.

Then, Kurapika’s eyes flickered to another boy, almost at their own accord. The kid was short, looking about Gon’s age, with shocking white hair. The pale boy was carrying a skateboard of some sort; whether it was to be used as a weapon, Kurapika didn’t know. Posed casually, with hands stuffed into pockets, Kurapika could still tell the other’s carefully concealed tension. There was something dangerous about his poise, the way his hands were perfectly still, making his whole form silent and inhumanly watchful.  _ Almost like a predator watching his prey. _

The third seemed to draw all eyes to himself naturally. His colorful costume was painted in intense pinks, a bright yellow cloth circling his hips. The tall man was slim, like a tightly-strung rubber band, with colorful red hair. But, something seemed off about this deceptively cheerful figure. As Kurapika watched, he found that the clown-like person reeked bloodlust, with the subtle twitch of his fingers and wandering eyes, assessing his potential opponents. When those unsettling eyes flicked his way, they widened with delight, and Kurapika quickly turned away. He’d promised himself to avoid pointless conflict.

“Please take your number,” a voice behind him prompted. Kurapika faced the speaker, who happened to be diminutive green man. “This will identify you throughout the examination process.” The blond reached out and grasped the pin that he was offering, fixing it to his tabard after slight hesitation.  _ 404 _ , it read.

Kurapika returned to his group, scanning the the others’ numbers as well. Gon had number 405, Leorio with 403, and Pairo still pinning on 406. He was about to open his mouth to say something when a new speaker called out.

“Hey! I’ve never seen you guys before, are you all new?” The four of them directed their sight to a round man, reminiscent to a squash, walking towards them. The newcomer seemed completely harmless, armed with a friendly smile and an unthreatening build, but remembering his own warning, Kurapika kept his guard up. The most innocuous were usually the most desperate and therefore treacherous.

“How did you know?” Gon asked, eyes full of immediate trust. The stranger laughed.

“I’ve taken this exam thirty-five times, so I think I should know,” the man confessed, infiltrating their group. Kurapika narrowed his eyes.

“Wow! Thirty-five?” Gon’s face lit up with...admiration? Kurapika couldn’t tell.

“Well, I guess you can call me an exam veteran. The name’s Tonpa.” He reached out his hand for the others to shake. Leorio ostentiously avoided Tonpa’s hand, Kurapika and Pairo just blankly glared at if it had personally offended them, and Gon was too wrapped up in processing the new information. Tonpa retracted his hand, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Oh, and I’m Gon. And behind me are Kurapika, Pairo, and Leorio.” Gon paused for a moment, thinking something over. “Hey, are there anymore who have taken the exam many times like you?” Tonpa nodded, looking grateful to have something else to concentrate on than the scrutiny of the rest of the group. The man began pointing out a few applicants to the boy, giving him information about each one. Meanwhile, Kurapika turned to Pairo, starting a silent conversation between the two.

Pairo lifted an eyebrow.  _ What? _

Kurapika darted a glance at Tonpa, giving a subtle tilt of his head. 

_ Oh. _

Kurapika squinted his eyes.  _  Do you trust him? _

Pairo gave a small cringe.  _ No, of course not. _

_ Good.  _ Kurapika frowned, contemplative.  _ We should watch our backs. Something is off, missing. _ His friend nodded, and Kurapika ended their talk to focus his attention on that maniac clown that he had spotted earlier. The applicant seemed to be dissolving another’s arms into dust, looking awfully pleased with himself.

“Ugh, the psycho is back,” Tonpa remarked.

“Huh?  _ Again?”  _ Gon asked.

“You mean he took last year’s exam as well?” Kurapika had an uneasy feeling that he didn’t want to know why.

Tonpa dipped his head gravely. “Number 44. Hisoka, the mad magician. He was set to pass the last exam, that is until he all but murdered one of the examiners.”

“W-wait. They’re still letting him retake the exam?” Leorio stammered nervously.

“Anyone, no matter what they’ve done or who they’ve killed has right to apply,” Tonpa stated gravely. “Oh, right!” He dug around in his satchel. “How about a drink to celebrate the start of the Hunter Exam?” A can of juice sat in his hand. Gon took one eagerly, followed by Leorio, who was apprehensive.

Kurapika shot a look at Pairo.  _ Don’t. _

Pairo shrugged slightly.  _ Relax, I wasn’t going to. _

“No thank you, I’m allergic,” Kurapika lied, smiling thinly.

“Allergic? Allergic to what?” Tonpa feigned concern.

The blond gave him a meaningful stare. “I don’t take well to certain things.” The portly man paled, shock evident on his face.

Gon spat his juice out. “Tonpa, your juice seemed to have expired!” Leorio drained his, looking overly furious for such a mistake.

“Ah, haha. Sorry about that.” He caught sight of the deceptively sweet look on Kurapika’s face, whose hands were a breath away from his blades.  “I’ll just go then. See ya.” He practically ran off.  

“Jeez, what a slippery bastard,” Leorio scoffed. 

Kurapika sighed. “The old ‘laxative-in-the-drink’ trick is quite overused.” Pairo nodded in agreement. 

“Seriously?” Gon exclaimed. “He was trying to poison us? But he was so nice.”

“He’s one of those ‘rooke-crushers’ that I warned you about. They play nice, but really they are setting you up for failure.”

“But how did you know?” Leorio asked.

Kurapika held his hands up self-deprecatingly. “I was naturally suspicious at how nice he was to his competitors, and then, when you two were about to drink the juice, his expression became very malicious.”

A sharp buzz sounded at the front of the room, bouncing off the high, cavernous ceilings. The front section of the tunnel began to open, inching upwards in a spray of rock and dust to reveal a long passage that stretched on into the darkness. A thin man wearing a purple suit stepped in front of them, his mustache moving as he spoke.

“Sorry about the long wait. The entry period for all applicants has expired. So, let us forget the pleasantries and begin the Hunter Exam,” the man said, face a calm mask of indifference. “A final warning, however; if you are unfit or lacking in any area, it is a real possibility that you could wind up dead. Those who are willing to accept such risks, please follow me.” His eyes searched through the crowd. “Otherwise, you may exit the examination process by the elevator behind you.”

Not one person moved to leave.

“Very well. All applicants will proceed to Phase One.” The examiner began to leave, taking long, almost-unreal strides. The rest of the people imitated him, breaking into a steady jog through the tunnel. A few grumbled about when they would be able to start the exam; they wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

“The first stage of the exam has already commenced, “ the thin man stated, addressing the complaints. “I am Satotz, your examiner. Keep up with me and I will lead you to the site of Phase Two.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter
> 
> Okay, so I'm trying to upload the chapters quick enough so that I can skip to the romance parts of this story for any interested readers, so please be patient! The Exam phases, looking back on them, were quite bland, so hang in there, please!
> 
> Thank you all for your comments and kudos! The support is amazing!
> 
> follow me on tumblr @unreadable0


	6. Chapter Five: Phase Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurapika is livid, and Pairo is an excellent cook.

_ We’ve traveled about thirty kilometers, but how many more will they make us run?  _ Kurapika pondered this, picking up his speed. Pairo adjusted his pace to match. Many applicants had already given up, collapsed on the floor by kilometer twenty. Kurapika mentally shook his head at them. 

Kurapika and his companion had no problem with running long distances; it was a simple skill that they had refined during their years of fending for themselves. Thirty kilometers was no problem. He had run six times as much to get back to his village after he had gotten the news of the massacre. Kurapika shuddered, fighting back the memory. All he could say was that he was glad to have Pairo with him. His friend was the anchor that kept him on the ground; the only thing that kept him from drowning in his thoughts.

Pairo nudged him, jerking his head in Leorio’s direction. The doctor seemed to be having trouble, sweat pouring down his face and down his suit. In his frustration, Leorio had taken to chewing out that pale kid that Kurapika had seen earlier.

“Hey, kid! That’s cheating! You can’t use that skateboard!”

The boy barely spared him a glance. “Why not?”

“This is a test of endurance! You’re supposed to run!”

“That’s not true,” Gon cut in. Leorio spluttered.

“The examiner just asked us to follow him; he never said how we did it.”

“That’s true, he never specified anything. Hell, I’m sure you could have used a car and it would be within the rules,” Pairo added helpfully, ignoring Leorio’s cry of betrayal. The pale boy smirked.

“How old are you?” he asked Gon, eyeing him with interest.

“I’m 12,” Gon replied, looking a bit confused by the question.

The white-haired boy seemed to consider him for a moment, before flipping off of his skateboard in a needlessly complicated manner. Kurapika was sure that Gon was swooning with the amount of admiration in his face.

“Wow, that’s so cool!”

The other kid allowed himself a grin. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Gon.” 

“Killua.”

The two boys smiled at each other, running off to the front of the group. Kurapika was about to follow him when he caught sight of Leorio’s wheezing state.  _ Oh, dear. _ Pairo seemed to sense his thoughts, putting a reassuring hand on Kurapika’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this,” he said, running back to the doctor. Unbelievably, after Pairo whispered something into Leorio’s ear, the man gave a startling shout, ripping off his shirt and surging forward with renewed vigor. Kurapika raised a questioning eyebrow at his companion once he had caught back up. 

“What did you do?”

Pairo took on a serious expression. “I gave him a long motivational speech about perseverance and how life was just a mirage built up on the hopes and dreams of many, and that everyone was counting on him and his amazing ability, etc.” Noticing Kurapika’s deadpan look, he chuckled. “Or, I just whispered ‘ _ money, money, money’  _ into his ear. Either one.”

Kurapika’s annoyance about Leorio’s reason to become a Hunter had greatly subsided after Pairo urged him to talk with the doctor about it during their ride to Zabin city. He was touched by his tall friend’s story, and understood how it felt to need to make up to those who had passed. Kurapika had swapped his explanation of his goal to obtain the Scarlet Eyes, also, and found he did not particularly like the pity that had appeared in Leorio’s eyes. Still, the two formed an acknowledgment between themselves, and their relationship improved.

The pair quickened their pace even more, progressing to the front of the group where they met up with Leorio. The doctor gave them a half-hearted glare at their pristine condition, a sharp contrast to Leorio’s sweaty and unkempt appearance. The trio were soon joined by Killua and Gon, who were sprinting past them to reach the finish, which glowed tantalizingly at the mouth of the tunnel.

“See you at the goal, Kurapika,” the white-haired boy called out as the two breezed by.  _ I guess Gon told him about us. _ “Catch you later, old man.”

“Hey! Who are you calling old?” Leorio yelled, a vein popping out on his forehead. “I’m a teenager, just like you guys!”

“What?” The four of them asked, voices raised, unbelieving.  _ No way. _

 

A few minutes later saw the (newly) five of them  were catching their breath outside of the tunnel. Kurapika breathed, remarking the slightly pungent smell of thick algae and foliage intermingled with the sharp tang of rain in the air. Fog hung over their surroundings, thick and almost opaque. 

He reached for Pairo almost by reflex. Many times during their two years of training had they been caught in the dark, and Kurapika was loathe to lose his companion and vice versa. Pairo grabbed onto his hand, interlacing their fingers like they did when they were children.

As the last few stragglers stumbled in, blinking up at the sudden sunlight, the examiner began to speak.

“This is the Swindler’s Swamp, also known as the location of Phase Two.” He stopped, letting the information sink in. “A fitting name, for there are many creatures that reside in this forest that will use any means to trick you into becoming their next meal. So, shadow me carefully if you wish to make it out alive.”

* * *

The Swindler’s Swamp was terrible,  if Kurapika was completely honest.

Their group hadn’t even stepped foot into the place when the first creature decided it was a great time to lure in their next meal. Almost immediately after Satotz’s warning of the perils in the wetlands, a Man-Faced Ape had appeared, almost succeeding in tricking over half of the applicants into believing that the ape was the real examiner. Kurapika had to admit that their attempted trap was clever. Leorio and Hanzo, among many others, had almost went with the creature, or at least until Hisoka determined who was the true examiner by trying to  _ kill _ both of them.

Satotz didn’t seem too happy about having two razor-sharp cards aimed at his direction. Of course, the creepy clown relished the displeased examiner’s admonishment, eyes alight at the prospect of a fight. Kurapika shivered in disgust, hands tightening around Pairo’s.

He’d be sure to steer clear of that perverted man and his unbridled bloodlust.

At first, Kurapika had found the trek through the swamp quite simple, requiring just a little bit more skill to navigate through the pits of mud and sentient algae. What he had seriously underestimated, however, was the fog. Initially, the thick mist had clung to the tops of the trees, lurking in the background harmlessly, like dark clouds before a storm. Then, by kilometer seven, the fog closed in, so thick that it obscured vision beyond an arm's’ length. Leorio, Kurapika, and Pairo were cut off from the main group in a matter of seconds.

That factor had certainly made things a bit more tricky. Earlier in their travels, Kurapika and Pairo had created specific tactics for such situations. They’d trained with one of their hands bound to the other’s, an exercise to improve their teamwork. It worked quite well, and now, Kurapika was counting his blessings that his companion and him had practiced such techniques before. Although no actual bind held the both of them together, the two were still clasped together, movements exact and scarily identical.

The pair advanced with caution, taking the numerous monsters that most likely lurked behind the screen of fog in account. For a moment, Kurapika was tempted to relax his stance, before an ear-shattering roar was heard and another applicant was snatched up into the mist. A sickening crunch followed their disappearance, stirring panic throughout the remaining stragglers. 

And then, the levitating strawberries suddenly materialized. The fruit hung tantalizingly above their heads, serving as a brief distraction as large heads rained down to make easy picking of their stunned victims. What appeared to be large turtles hurtled into Kurapika’s sightline. 

_ Noggin Lugging Torotoises,  _ Kurapika’s racing mind supplied. Throughout the terrified screams and battle cries, his mind remained calm and still, formulating a plan. A plan that he was forced to forgo when Leorio rashly launched himself at one of the tortoises. Frowning, he nudged Pairo, and the two sprung into the fight, or rather the one-sided massacre.

“Aim for the eyes, once their sight is damaged, they are a rendered harmless,” Kurapika informed his partner, gracefully running up the monster’s neck. 

Scaling its head, Kurapika slammed the heel of his foot to further into its brain to disorient the creature. With Pairo mirroring his movements, he delivered a swift twist, kicking off of the tortoise’s head as his blades pieced its eyes. The beast howled in pain, carelessly flinging a shirtless Leorio to the ground. Kurapika landed softly on the ground to help up the doctor as Pairo dispatched the rest of the monsters.

Once their trio was gathered, Kurapika lead the way back onto the path they had been taking earlier. He trusted his instincts to trace his way back to the forerunners. Briefly, the blond’s thoughts drifted back to Gon’s words about Hisoka, hoping grimly that the two boys hadn’t run into any trouble during their separation. He’s readily welcomed Killua into his growing family, tucking the boy under his mothering worry.

His thoughts were instantly interrupted when a piercing scream colored the air.  _ Shit. _ Kurapika had a gnawing feeling that he’d unknowingly caught up with the middle of the group, comprised of Hisoka and a slew of shady goons. He cursed again, stopping short as the scent of gore got stronger. A couple meters away, the magician stood, tension thick as he gazed at the group of heavily armed applicants circling him. 

Kurapika could have blinked and missed the fatal blow. Hisoka’s card made a single swoop, a small circle, and effectively took out all of his would-be assailants. The creepy man licked his lips, eyes looking a bit disappointed. Kurapika felt the atmosphere change ever so slightly. 

Hisoka’s hunger for battle had only been teased, and he was itching for a good clash. It didn’t matter who it was with or where. It was only imperative that it’d be  _ now. _ Kurapika estimated they had a few seconds before the psychopath’s belligerence reached its peak. 

There was only one feasible option: flee. Fighting the other man was out of the question; he was on a totally different level than the three of them. Perhaps with just the Pairo and him, they would be able to stall him, but it was uncertain whether or not Leorio would be able to control himself and keep out of the action long enough to utilize the precious escape time they’d be giving him. Diplomacy was also impossible. Kurapika was skilled in negotiation, but even his talent would be of no use on a blood-thirsty lunatic. Yes, a non-confrontational approach was the best.

“On three,” Kurapika whispered, scarcely able to be heard, “we run. He can’t chase all of us at once.” Pairo nodded. Leorio just fixed his glare onto the damp ground, giving no indication of hearing his plan.

“One.” Hisoka’s stare slid towards them. “Two.” The clown’s hand slowly reached for a card. “Three.  _ NOW! _ ”

Kurapika and Pairo sprinted off in one direction.

Leorio presumably ran in another. 

After a few seconds, the blond’s eyes widened as he realized something.  _ Damn it. _ He reached out a hand to halt Pairo. His companion stopped, looking confused.

“Leorio isn’t going to run,” Kurapika explained. “That foolish man isn’t going to abandon his pride even if he’ll die because of it.” He turned to Pairo. “We have to go back.” 

Kurapika poured on the speed, concern emanating off of him in waves. When the two arrived back at the spot, his eyes widened.  _ When did Gon get here? And where’s Killua? _ The Kurta’s heartbeat quickened as he took in the scene.

Leorio was predictably collapsed off to the side, an ugly welt turning purple on his cheek. Gon, meanwhile, was kicking his small feet desperately in a futile attempt to unlodge the hands gripped tight around his throat. 

Needless to say, Kurapika saw red. Literally.

Before Pairo could restrain him, Kurapika stormed forward, appearing behind the maniac applicant, their eyes widening in shock as one of Kurapika’s Tonta blades was held at the other’s throat. His hands didn’t shake, and his stance was deadly calm even as hot fury thrummed underneath his skin. 

“Release him,” Kurapika ordered, voice brittle and cold as ice. 

Hisoka merely laughed, the dark sound resonating throughout his body. Leisurely, deliberately, he loosened his hold, letting Gon slide to the ground, coughing. Kurapika didn’t lower his weapon until Pairo had whisked the younger boy away from the scene. Sheathing his sword, Kurapika sprung back, making sure to keep a couple meters between him and the madman. 

The clown’s eyes gleamed with new interest, his previous conquest forgotten. The blond Kurta continued to blaze with rage, aura expanded and writhing with unwitting power. Kurapika’s eyes glowed bright red behind his contacts, his form strict and distinctly dangerous. He was prepared to fight, one that he was sure he would lose. Hisoka watched with amusement; there was something enticing about Kurapika. Of course, Gon had displayed beautiful spirit and courage, but this one, this one seemed to transform into something wholly untouchable and deadly in battle. 

Yes, Hisoka decided to let these pretty things go for now, easily seduced by such  captivating shows of potential. 

Relaxing his stance so that his opponent could see, the magician smirked. “Mmm, so you’ve passed my test. Congratulations.” Hisoka slung Leorio over his shoulder like a sack of flour. “I look forward to... _ meeting _ you in the future.” Pairo bristled at his suggestive tone, and Kurapika opened his mouth to protest. “Oh, don’t worry, I’ll be taking your friend to the Phase Two site.” With those words having been spoken, Hisoka made his exit, quickly disappearing in the dense forest. 

“What a creep,” Pairo muttered, rushing over to his companion. Scarlet Eyes now tranquil behind the black lenses, Kurapika slowly came down from the adrenaline high. He massaged his temples, yet another headache brewing after the emotionally exhausting encounter. Pairo wrapped his arms around his friend’s smaller form, holding him close comfortingly. After Kurapika’s eyes would turn, Pairo would make sure to provide familiarity and support until his anger was mollified. The blond went slack, allowing himself a few more moments of indulgence before breaking away. 

“Okay, let’s go,” Kurapika said, walking toward Gon. The younger boy seemed to have recovered from his injuries, looking ready to set out again. 

“Kurapika, what happened back there?” Gon asked. “For some reason you seemed much scarier than usual, but you didn’t look much different.”  _ Uh, oh.  _ Kurapika remained silent for a second, debating whether or not to admit that he wasn’t sure either. 

“That’s for me to know and you to find out,” Kurapika said teasingly, trying to avoid the question while maintaining a cheery facade. “Now, which direction should we go next?”

Gon stopped and sniffed the air, which puzzled Kurapika a little bit. The boy pointed to a section of woods, full of certainty. “Leorio’s that way.” Exchanging a bemused look, Kurapika and Pairo followed, trusting his instincts.

Near the end of their trek, Gon turned to them. “Hey, Kurapika, why did Hisoka let us go? He could very easily have finished us if he wanted to,” the younger conjectured, his voice oddly neutral to be talking about the possibility of death.

“Well, I assume that he was acting as some sort of self-dubbed examiner,” Kurapika started. 

“Examiner?” 

Pairo nodded. “He was assessing the other applicant’s strength. If you didn’t meet his standards, he’d probably kill you.”

“He probably let us go because he saw that killing us would be a waste,” Kurapika added. “We passed his little ‘test’, proving that we were worth enough to live.”

Gon made a comical face. “Seriously? That’s a bit messed up.”

Kurapika shrugged. “Well, we are talking Hisoka here.” He wouldn’t put anything past the callous clown.

After a few more minutes, they stumbled upon a large gate, a meager fraction of the initial applicants milling around in the grass before it. Hisoka caught their eyes and tossed them a smirk and gestured to an unconscious figure propped up against a tree.

“How did you manage to track him, Gon?” Kurapika bent over to inspect Leorio’s still form. He sighed in relief when he felt a steady pulse drumming at the doctor’s wrist. 

Gon shrugged, as if weren’t a big deal. “I just followed the scent of his cologne. It was a pretty strong trail anyway.” All three of them turned their attention to the bruised man, who seemed to waking up.Leorio looked up at them foggily.

“What happened?” The trio exchanged glances. “My memory is a bit hazy.”  _ Should we tell him?  _ Kurapika shook his head. He’d prefer to let Leorio’s inflated ego go undamaged, thanks.

“Gon!” Killua approached them, looking no worse for wear.

“Killua!” Gon bounded up to him, and the two boys leapt into conversation.

“Excellent work, everyone!” Satotz came into view, standing in front of the doors. “Phase Two will take place here in Biska Forest Park,” Satotz informed them, bowing slightly. “It has been an honor to serve as you examiner and I wish you the best of luck.” The thin man spun on his heel and vanished into the woods. Almost immediately after he left, the gated bgan to wheel open, revealing a severe-looking woman and a rather large man.

Kurapika took in the numerous cooking tools and spits and groaned.  _ Cooking.  _ Pairo had always been a whiz at the craft, but Kurapika pretty much burned water.  _ I would much rather take on Hisoka again than go through with this again. _

Pario patted his back helpfully.

* * *

 

Phase Two had been a complete flop.

Kurapika had seen all hope of passing keel over and die when that idiot Todoinsulted Menchi and Buhara .2 seconds after they had entered. He hadn’t missed the near-murderous intent that flashed through the female examiner’s eyes when she had heard the man’s mockery of her profession as a Hunter. Kurapika was ready to strangle that moron for making the already terrible situation worse. 

The goal of this part of the Hunter’s Exam was to appease both Menchi and Buhara’s tastes by the dishes that each applicant would prepare. If one was unsuccessful in gaining both of their passes, they would be discarded from the exam.

“The required ingredient is pork,” Menchi had said, crossing her arms irritably. It was explained by her counterpart that the applicants were able to use the meat of any Biska Forest boar species that they were able to obtain. The two then dismissed them to collect the necessary ingredients.

Hunting the boar was easy enough.

However, it  would have been helpful to mention that the single species of boar that resided in that particular forest was a murderous line of death-pig. Kurapika swore that if a demon ever looked to manifest an animal, those boars would have been top choice. Equal parts ugly  _ and _ dangerous, the blonde was only too happy to take them down. It was always the same plan; observe prey, stalk it, then hit it in some odd place to see it collapse comatose.

So, the pork was collected.

Preparing the meat was another matter entirely. Even with Pairo’s constant, if not silent instruction, Kurapika barely managed to marinate and season the pig without setting it on fire, even though there was no fire present. The shorter Kurta figured the equations for the cook time and rotation-per-minute ratio, miraculously getting the pork to color a crispy golden-brown; although it was mostly due to Kurapika’s panicked rotating of his spit, narrowly saving the skin from being burnt. After cutting the gargantuan meat up in sizable pieces, Kurapika was struggling with the time limit, throwing on what he hoped was garnish on the top and drizzling the sauce that he’d painstakingly prepared.

Meanwhile, Pairo was serenely puttering about his kitchen area, expertly cutting up spices and mixing sauces. His pig was cooked perfectly in no time, no math needed, sliced paper-thin (which took quite a lot of skill considering the size), and dressed in heavenly sauces and seasoning. Pairo’s apparent aptitude for culinary arts was both the most impressive and most infuriating thing that Kurapika had seen that day.

Soon, each applicant was called up to have their work evaluated. Kurapika watched with terror as one by one, the applicants were failed by Menchi. The examiner would stare it for a moment, cut off a miniscule portion, and then daintily eat it. The result of this process was usually either verbal abuse or a miniature tantrum about the utter perversion of food she had tasted.

Neither boded well with the increasing pool of rejected applicants.

Of course, none dared to object to her verdict, as Todo had tried. Foolishly charging up at her, he had been knocked aside by Buhara, sent flying up into one of the turrets a couple stories up. The woman had been holding multiple wicked-looking knives, and admitted to the scared applicants that she’d been ready kill him if not for the other examiner’s interference.  _ That  _ had definitely set the rest of the group straight.

“No. Gross. Bland. Unappealing. Nope.” Menchi tossed platter after platter to Buhara, who ate them without complaint and offered his approval. Kurapika deduced that her appetite was very particular and choosy. It would be near impossible to appease her.

Kurapika could only watch helplessly as Gon and Leorio were turned down, their food described to be “terrible and cooked poorly.” Kurapika steeled his nerves, ready for his rejection. It wouldn’t really matter, anyway, he supposed. As long as Pairo passed the exam, they would be able to achieve their goal.

He offered up his dish, head held high as he awaited their verdict. Menchi ate a piece before tilting her head to one side, face betraying nothing.

“It’s an improvement compared to the rest, but still far below my standards,” she sniffed, holding up her sign of disapproval. Buhara gave his pass, and proceeded to wolf the rest of the food down at an alarming rate. 

Pairo’s number was called next, and his dish was halfway into the examiner’s mouth when a commanding voice burst forth from behind them.

“Stop!” Heads turned as an old man materialized before the Gourmet Hunter. 

Menchi swallowed her food, face lighting up at the taste, before turning her attention to the stranger. “Chairman,” she greeted, bowing.

_ It’s Chairman Netero of the Hunter’s Association!  _ Kurapika realized, eyes wide.

The Chairman’s expression didn’t change. “Menchi,” he said sternly, “it would be unwise to fail every single applicant, wouldn’t it?” 

The female examiner held her hands up. “I wasn’t going to fail  _ all  _ of them”  —she cast a glance at Pairo— “there were a few that I would have passed.”

The older man raised an eyebrow. “A few?”

Menchi sighed. “Fine. I was going to pass  _ one _ .”

“You failed the rest because of their reluctance to try new things?”

“No.”

The chairman gestured for her to go on.

“One of the candidates insulted my profession and I lost my cool, that’s all.”

Netero regarded Todo a bit coldly. “So you admit that the test was unreasonable.”

Menchi nodded begrudgingly. “I lose control when it comes to cooking.”

“Hmm,” the Chairman stroked his beard. “I will set a new condition on your contract as examiner.” The woman dipped her head in agreement. “In whatever task you have the other applicants do, you must participate in as well.”

Menchi thought for a moment. “Very well. Chairman,” she prompted, “may I borrow your airship?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter
> 
> Next chapter will feature the first part of the next phase! Thank you all for reading and please leave some feedback!


	7. Chapter Six: Phase Three I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phase III part one. Kurapika and Pairo are exasperated, and Tonpa is a butthole.

Pairo smiled at his companion. The blond was currently fussing over Leorio, bickering with the doctor even as concern softened his words. Killua and Gon had run off somewhere else on the airship, the pair already becoming inseparable, leaving the three of them to rest as they were carried to the next phase. As he watched, Leorio frowned as Kurapika let out another bout of sharp admonishing.

Kurapika had always been a bit too critical of Leorio in his opinion. However, Pairo attributed this to the constant motherly-attitude that his companion always seemed to adopt around other people. In his perspective, he thought that the doctor was a kind man, albeit a bit hot-headed at times, but brave and loyal to the core. If Leorio wasn't any of these traits, Pairo wouldn't have allowed their little family unit stick around him at all. Yes, while Kurapika was openly defensive of his friends, it was common knowledge between the both of them that Pairo was the one who was the most protective, even if he kept his concerns quiet most of the time.

When Leorio started to turn a rather interesting shade of red, Pairo decided it was time to intervene.

Sitting down beside the other Kurta, Pairo snaked an arm around his petite frame, tugging the other closer even as the blond was actively arguing with Leorio.

"Wh—" Kurapika objected, "excuse me, but I am in the middle of a conversation here." Pairo laughed, causing his partner to flush hotly.

"I think that's enough scolding him for today, I think he gets it," Pairo said. "I'm sure he knows that if he breathes the wrong way you'll be all over him in a heartbeat." The other huffed, stopping his attempts to squirm his way out of the taller one's grip. A small part of Pairo inwardly cheered as Kurapika shifted to settle deeper into his embrace.

"Well, I've given you that speech so many times and  _you_  haven't 'gotten it' yet," Kurapika pointed out, crossing his arms.

Pairo chuckled. "Perhaps I've grown immune to your berating."

Leorio cleared his throat awkwardly, obviously feeling like a bit of a third wheel. "So, how many more phases do you think they'll throw at us?" They had already passed two, having retrieved an egg from a Spider Eagle's nest a few hours ago. Kurapika scrunched his face up adorably in thought.  _Adorably? Seriously, Pairo?_ Pairo mentally slapped himself.

"The examiners never mentioned that, did they? Honestly, I don't know. Nor do I want to kn—" Kurapika was interrupted by a new voice.

"On average, they have five or six phases of the Hunter Exam," Tonpa informed them, smile deceptively friendly as he came towards them. Kurapika stiffened under Pairo's arms, muscles tensed and ready to spring.

Leorio scratched his chin. "That means we have three or four still left to go," he observed.

Kurapika nodded, "All the more reason to rest up now."

Something glinted in Tonpa's eyes that Pairo didn't particularly like. "However, you should stay on your guard," he warned, pausing for dramatic effect. "The third stage of the exam could happen...right on this airship." The rotund man leaned back, as if ready to savor their reactions.

He didn't get any.

The three of them just shrugged, expressions kept carefully indifferent. They understood that the other applicant was just trying to stir up trouble after their first encounter with the man. Kurapika stood up, removing the hand resting at his hip and slipping it between his own, dragging Pairo along toward the sleeping quarters. Leorio stumbled over his feet to follow.

Tonpa was seething underneath his calm mask. A plan was formulating in the back of his mind, because while he lacked in many departments, his skills of sabotage were something to be revered.

_Oh, those kids are as good as failed on this exam._

* * *

The next morning, Pairo found himself standing among the other applicants on the top of some building, having been dropped and abandoned by the airship just minutes before. The task was simply to get to the ground, no details or pointers given.

Soon, after the brutal death of one of the candidates, it was apparent that climbing down or around the tower's facade was futile, as large predators circled the sides. Not even a handful of meters down, the creatures had flown up, snatching up the man in a terrifying display.

"Hey!" Gon and Killua shouted, waving the rest of their group over. "I found something!" Kurapika walked briskly, Pairo and Leorio following, anxious to understand their situation.

Gon squinted harshly at the stone paneling, as if it had personally offended him. The spiky-haired boy looked up as they approached. "It's a hidden door," he said, pushing the tile down to reveal the darkness beneath.

"I see. So we must descend by using the secret passages," Kurapika speculated, eyes brightening as he connected the clues.

"Yes! Good job, Gon!" Leorio patted the kid on the shoulder. "Let's go."

Gon looked uncertain. "Umm, you see...I'm still confused on one thing." The four of them looked at him expectantly. "There are also doors over there." He pointed to a multitude of spots scattered around the top of the edifice.

"Hold up," Leorio blurted. "That many?" Killua nodded.

"Five hidden doors, all within a five-meter radius. It can't be a coincidence." Kurapika tapped a finger against his chin.

Pairo nodded in agreement. "Some probably contain traps or false tunnels."

"And it appears that each stone can only be used once." Killua looked on pensively.

"No. Seriously?" Leorio asked, voice pitched high in disbelief.

Killua shrugged. "We tried to use a door that someone else had already gone through. It wouldn't so much as budge."

Kurapika cut in. "Also, judging by the size of each stone, save for the one to our left" —he pointed to a rather large tile a few meters away— "only one person can enter at any given time."

"So, one per person, then," Killua declared. "Gon and I already decided that we'll each choose our own door to use."

"No hard feelings if one of us springs a trap!" Gon piped cheerfully. "What about you guys?"

Leorio fixed on a determined look. "I can work with that. Luck is something I've dealt with before, anyway."

"Indeed," Pairo added.

"Well, I have no objection either, so that settles it, I suppose," Kurapika stated. He turned to his companion. "Shall we go together, then? Since no one else is going to be taking up the larger tile?" They took their positions.

Pairo smiled warmly at the blond. "Has it ever been any other way?"

"Okay, on the count of three, let's all go," Kurapika proposed.

"I guess this is goodbye, for now," Gon said, looking a bit sad.

"Don't worry, we'll meet up again at the base of the tower," Pairo assured.

"Alright," Killua announced. "One, two, three!" The five of them all disappeared as the doors tipped them into the depths below.

Much to their surprise, they all were dumped into the same room. Said room was dark and windowless, the only light supplied by a small electronic screen.

"Huh?" Leorio muttered, picking himself off of the floor.

Kurapika dusted himself off, having landed gracefully beside Pairo. "That certainly was a brief separation."

Leorio sighed. "So all the doors led to the same room. Wow," he remarked in a flat voice.

Gon moved toward the blinking screen. "All must follow the will of the majority to reach their goal," he read aloud.

"Five of us?" Leorio wondered. Killua shook his head.

Gon pointed to a raised able, which displayed bracelets. "No, six. Look, there are six stopwatches."

Killua picked one up warily, as if expecting it to explode in his hands. Not that Pairo would put such a stunt past the borderline maniac examiners. "There's an 'O' and 'X' button on each one," the silver-haired boy commented offhandedly.

"Does that mean that we must wait for another applicant to join us before we are able to leave this room?" Kurapika hazarded.

"Exactly," a new voice sung. They spun around to the source, which happened to be an old intercom system fixed to a wall. "My name it Lippo," the speaker said. He then proceeded to reveal that he was a prison warden as well as the Third Phase examiner. Prison warden? Pairo thought. So, we must be in a type of holding facility at the moment.

Lippo continued, unheeding to their questions as he supplied them with even more information. He explained that teamwork was essential during this test, and that one selfish decision could fail the whole lot of them. Through the vote of the majority, they would make their way through the many tunnels that were prepared, solving riddles and puzzles as they went on. They would not be allowed to begin until they had six members.

"Well, it was supposed to be five, but then I had to adjust the number according to the number of passed applicants," the warden had admitted. "So hopefully that won't cause any problems, heh, with the whole 'majority thing', but good luck." With those words, the intercom crackled into silence.

"Man, what a drag," Leorio sighed. "We can't go until we have another member."

"I guess we just have to wait, then," Kurapika offered.

"But who knows how long that will take!"

Pairo shook his head in amusement.

* * *

They'd been waiting for two hours when they heard the faint knocking of someone entering from above. Foolishly, they'd all crowded around the opening, eager to see who would be accompanying them on their task. Fortunately, Kurapika and Pairo, along with Gon and KIllua, all had fast reflexes, so when the saw the large figure tumbling down on them, they dodged real quick. Unfortunately, Leorio had been checking his watch again, so he failed to see the dark shape moving toward him until it was too late. To his credit, the doctor didn't even grimace at the weight that pinned him down, only grumbled a bit and shoved the unwanted person off of him.

"Good grief," Tonpa wheezed.

"Tonpa?" Gon looked a bit green, and Pairo was sure it wasn't the clothes he was wearing.

Kurapika looked exasperated, looking like a parent who had rebuked a bratty child. Killua seemed bored, his delicate features settled in a vague expression of distaste. And Leorio, well, Leorio appeared frustrated, having made a strangled noise when he had seen who it was.

"Just put on a watch and spare us the trouble," the doctor ordered dismissively. Tonpa obeyed, and a piece of wall rolled back as the older man snapped on the bracelet, a mundane wooden door placed behind it.

"So I was correct," Kurapika remarked. "Once six people arrive and put on their stopwatches, the exit is provided."

"Hmm…" Gon read the sign affixed to the front of the wood. "At this door, select 'O' to open, 'X' to not open." He pressed a button on his watch. "Okay, you guys do the same."

"Forcing the 'majority rule' on us already?" Leorio cursed. "Well, the turnout should be obvious." The rest input their votes.

Five in the 'O' column, one in the 'X' column.

"What?" Leorio shouted. He looked around quickly, scanning their faces. "Who pressed the 'X' button?"

"Haha, sorry, I hit it by mistake," Tonpa said, layering on the false apology thickly.

Leorio bristled. "This isn't some game, old man," he seethed.

_Oh, no. This is going to be a long three days._

* * *

They had only been walking for a few hours and Pairo was already fighting the urge to bang his head against a wall. The four of them had prevented multiple fights between Leorio and Tonpa, who were at each other's throats constantly. The majority rule itself worked well. Killua, Kurapika, and Pairo voted similarly, so it was usually a swing vote here and there that kept things going. It was always a struggle, however, convincing Leorio that no, Tonpa had not sabotaged this round of voting.

It seemed that whenever something went the slightest bit wrong, Leorio turned and blamed it on Tonpa. Great friends, they were.

Killua stopped abruptly, causing the others to look up.

"Where are we?" Leorio asked. None answered, all wondering the same thing. They six of them looked to be in a fighting ring of sorts. Between them and the exit point a large platform was raised, a solid pillar supporting it amid the surrounding empty space. A long fall awaited any that decided to drop off.

"Look." Killua pointed to the exit ledge opposite of them. Five figures stood in the gloom, wearing prison garments and handcuffs.

"Well, they applicants have arrived," a rumbling voice spoke. "Remove the bindings." The shackles chained to the criminals' wrists were unlocked, each pair producing a loud clatter as they thudded to the floor."Yes, I'm free at last," the voice declared. A hulking man emerged from the shadows, throwing off his robe to uncloaking an impressive physique. Leorio shuddered in fear.

"Allow me to further explain the rules of this particular obstacle," Lippo insisted, amplified by the loudspeaker. "Here before you are a handful of Trick Tower's prisoners."

"Prisoners?" So we are in a prison.

"The Hunter Exam Committee has also hired them as examiners. You must fight each of them one-on-one in order to pass to the next tunnels. Any methods, techniques, or skills, legal or illegal, are able to be used. There will be no draw or stalemates. Unless otherwise previously stated and agreed on, a winner is declared when the other admits defeat." The speaker went silent, but Pairo felt that the warden was still present and watching.

"You may choose the order in which you will face us," the burly prisoner said. "It's by majority rule. Secure three wins, and you may pass." Leorio's eyebrow twitched comically at the mention of the majority rule.

Killua smiled, a cold, terrifying thing. "I prefer straightforward rules anyway."

"I understand. These fights will all be time based. We must reach the goal within seventy-two hours. I also suspect that the prisoners have some sort of incentive to delay us as long as they can as well." He turned to the security camera. "Am I not right?" Pairo felt a surge of pride at the brilliant show of his partner's intelligence.

"Hm. Yes, your conjecture is correct," Lippo conceded, sounding impressed.

"I will be fighting first," the muscular prisoner, whose name read 'Bendot' stepped forward.

Killua turned to the group. "What's our plan? He said that any way of fighting is valid, so anything goes."

"But we don't know exactly what they'll try to spring on us," Leorio cautioned, earning an approving look from Kurapika.

"There's too much to lose without knowing what they have up their sleeves," Kurapika affirmed. "Because of that, I shall—"

"No, no. I'll go." Tonpa made his way forward.

"Tonpa?" Gon looked skeptical.

Tonpa looked back. "I'll act as the guinea pig, so we'll know what they're up to. Consider this making up for before."

Pairo shifted uncomfortably, Kurapika tensing beside him. Something about Tonpa's words seemed off.

"Are you serious?" Leorio asked.

"Sure, sure. You guys don't really trust me anyway do you?" No one confirmed his point nor disproved it. "Do you guys really want me to be the tiebreaker when the score is 2-2?"

"True, but there are six of us. I'm sure I could go in your stead. There really is no need to go first," Pairo called out, but Tonpa had already strutted up to the edge, a thin bridge unfurling to allow him to cross.

Kurapika and Pairo exchanged a pained glance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still pushing for all 31 chapters to go up within this month! By chapter 13, I believe, the Yorknew City arc will begin. At that point, there will be a lot of canon convergence, so please stay tuned! I apologize for the slight slowness of the story in the beginning, but I hope it is okay!
> 
> Special shoutouts to sugay, fatfetus, and all the guests who left kudos! Also thanks to lil looser, WishiFishi, and sugay, who all left comments! I appreciate the support! 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and please leave feedback!


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